Tara Marchelin, Jakarta – The Sustainable Districts Association, or LTKL, has introduced a sustainable economy model for improving the investment climate at the district level in Indonesia. LTKL is a collaboration forum established and managed by eight district governments to encourage sustainable development.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has promised United States-based technology company Microsoft it will create a simple regulation to allow the tech giant to invest in a data center in the country.

Dio Suhenda, Jakarta – Executive Director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Jakarta, Phillip J. Vermonte pointed out the presence of political influences in Indonesian disaster management.

Jakarta – Electronic money (e-money) transactions in Indonesia's retail market skyrocketed by 173 percent in January from a year earlier, with nonbank fintech dominating the scene as the country works its way toward a cashless society, the central bank says.

Riska Rahman, Jakarta – The government will move up the distribution of the much-vaunted pre-employment cards to March in a bid to mitigate the adverse effects of the coronavirus outbreak on the country's economy, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said.

Eisya A. Eloksari, Jakarta – The omnibus bill on job creation will weaken regional administrations by taking away their authority over the use of space and environmental impact analyses (Amdal) and putting in solely in the hands of the central government.

Prima Wirayani and Eisya A. Eloksari, Jakarta – Diversified conglomerate PT Astra International recorded zero growth in its net profit last year, after booking a strong expansion in 2018, as the automotive and agribusiness sectors weakened.

Jakarta – Judges with the Bale Bandung District Court in West Java found PT Kamarga Kurnia Textile Industry (KKTI) guilty of polluting a section of the Citarum River, the longest and dirtiest river in the province.

David Hutt – Yet another government has fallen in Timor-Leste, as Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak last week offered up his resignation, following the breakup of a ruling coalition. And the latest collapse happened for the exact same reason as the downfall of a previous government in 2017: failing to pass a budget in parliament.

Diana Mariska, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is offering 50 percent off flight tickets to persuade domestic and international tourists to keep visiting the country's favorite tourist destinations as the global tourism industry faces an uncertain future due to the continuing coronavirus outbreak.

Antara, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said Indonesia should not rest on its laurels as a major market and consumer in the technology sector but must also be able to reap the benefits of technology to encourage digital economic growth.

Muslim-majority Indonesia is dismayed by news that Saudi Arabia has temporarily closed its borders to Umrah pilgrims amid fears of the novel coronavirus outbreak, but the government says it's trying to convince its Saudi counterparts to exempt Indonesians from the travel suspension since Indonesia has yet to officially record a single COVID-19 case in the country.

Asip Hasani, Tulungagung – Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators have searched on Wednesday the house of Suhada Sumarni, the father-in-law of former Supreme Court secretary and graft suspect Nurhadi Abdurachman, in Tulungagung, East Java, as part of the antigraft body's effort to locate the suspect, who is still at large.

Jakarta – Weak consumer demand is contributing to a decades-low inflation rate in Indonesia, as the central bank steps up efforts to control inflation rates at the same time, a Bank Indonesia (BI) senior official says.

Fadli and Ivany Atina Arbi, Batam – Concerns about how the Indonesian government is handling the novel coronavirus outbreak have grown as none of the 132 Indonesian lab tests for the virus have come back positive as of Wednesday.

Beritasatu, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will introduce a special agency whose main task is to handle foreign and domestic investments in the development of the country's new capital city in East Kalimantan, officials said on Wednesday.

Evarukdijati, Sri Haryati, Jayapura, Papua – Three people were injured, including a member of the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob), in an exchange of fire between security forces and an armed group in Nduga, Papua Police Chief Insp. Gen Paulus Waterpauw confirmed here on Thursday.

Jakarta – The Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ministry wants to asses spatial plans for Greater Jakarta following widespread flooding that hit parts of the capital on Tuesday.

Adam Prireza, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan ensured that Taman Ismail Marzuki or TIM arts and culture center in Cikini will not be a commercial area after its revitalization project completes. He said the city administration will not seek benefits in the management.

Fajar Pebrianto, Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) continued voicing its objection against the draft of the omnibus law on job creation set by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. To AJI, the bill tried to restore the government's control over the press as it did during the New Order era.

Dili – After the CNRT, the party of the East-Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao, decided to abstain on 17 January during the vote in parliament on the national budget for 2020, prime minister Taur Matan Ruak submitted on Monday (24/2) this week his dismissal letter to president Lu Olo. He now waits for the president's decision.

Imanuddin Razak, Jakarta – While it remains unclear whether the arms procurement to fulfill the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) military modernization program will continue as planned, the Defense Ministry is introducing a mass-based national defense system to ensure the country can match its neighbors.

Ernes Broning Kakisina/Suharto, Sorong, W Papua – The Indonesian government in association with Yayasan Inisiatif Dagang Hijau (Green Trade Initiative Foundation) took a total of 45 foreign investors to witness firsthand the business potential in the country's eastern provinces of Papua and West Papua.

Ade Irma Junida/Aria Cindyara, Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has launched a green investment concept in Papua and West Papua.

Ernes Broning Kakisina, Yuni A, Sorong, Papua – Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Panjaitan encouraged the local governments and community of Papua and West Papua to lower investment in palm plantations.

Jakarta – The Constitutional Court (MK) has ruled against the plaintiffs of the review petition on the simultaneous general elections that aimed to have the practice abolished, saying that the presidential, House of Representatives, and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) elections must be held concurrently.

The governor of Papua New Guinea's capital says a Free West Papua Campaign secretariat will be established in his city.

Powes Parkop made the announcement in Port Moresby in his latest move to raise awareness about human rights issues in PNG's neighbouring Indonesian-ruled territory of West Papua.

Djemi Amnifu and Hengky Ola Sura, Kupang – Almost 2,000 pigs across Timor Island in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) have died after contracting African swine fever (ASF), the NTT Animal Husbandry Agency reported on Wednesday.

Jakarta – Demand for rooftop solar panels has increased sharply in recent years as more companies and households turn to solar energy to meet their electricity needs, an executive of a rooftop solar panel leasing and service company has said.

Jakarta – Nine residents of Greater Jakarta have died as a result of the widespread flooding that has inundated the capital and surrounding cities over the past few days, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has reported.

The nine fatalities were in Jakarta; South Tangerang, Banten; and Bekasi, West Java.

Riska Rahman and Prima Wirayani, Jakarta – The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) nosedived to a level unseen since March 2017 on Thursday afternoon amid fears over the spread of COVID-19, extending losses recorded by Asian stocks.

Jakarta – Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD Jakarta) head Subejo has resigned as severe flooding occurred across Greater Jakarta in the past several days.

"He resigned on Monday," Jakarta Employment Agency chief Chaidir said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com.

Gemma Holliani Cahya, Jakarta – The Defense Ministry has accepted a grant comprising 14 Insitu ScanEagle drones and three Bell 412 helicopters from the United States, as Jakarta expects the equipment to further strengthen the Navy's maritime patrol operations throughout the archipelago.

Putu Ayu Palupi, Galih Priatmojo – Hundreds of workers from the Yogyakarta and Central Java United Workers Communication Forum (FKBB) held a demonstration at the Yogyakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) on February 26. The action was held to oppose the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation.

James Massola, Jakarta – US diplomats have expressed concerns to top Indonesian government officials about their country's handling of the coronavirus outbreak, warning of the "critical" need to be seeking out and more frequently testing for the virus.

Tassia Sipahutar, Canberra, Australia – Indonesia is ready to seek parliamentary approval for a bill to accelerate the construction of a new capital that's drawn interest from investors across the world, according to President Joko Widodo.

Jakarta – Indonesia's chief economic minister, Airlangga Hartarto, said on Wednesday the government plans to increase palm oil export levies to support expansion of its palm biodiesel programme.

Evi Mariani, Jakarta – A farmer pushing back against cement factories carrying out activities on the Kendeng Karst Mountains in Central Java has shown off his succulent chili to defy the perception that Kendeng is an arid place and needs factories to provide welfare to locals.

Arya Dipa, Bandung – Thousands of houses and public facilities across Bekasi, Karawang, and Subang regencies in West Java were left flooded following a period of intense rain over the last two days.

Riza Roidila Mufti and Rizki Fachriansyah, Jakarta – A "soft groundbreaking" and early construction on Indonesia's new capital city in East Kalimantan may take place in July, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) announced on Wednesday.

Gemma Holliani Cahya, Jakarta – Climate change-driven global warming is a factor behind repeated instances of severe flooding across Greater Jakarta since early January, including a flood that inundated parts of the capital on Tuesday, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Riza Roidila Mufti, Jakarta – More than 30 local and foreign investors have expressed an interest in developing Indonesia's new capital city in North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kertanegara in East Kalimantan, according to a top government official.

Arya Dipa, Bandung – At least four people have died and thousands of others have been affected by severe floods that inundated 24 districts in Bekasi on Tuesday, the West Java Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has confirmed.

Marchio Irfan Gorbiano, Made Anthony Iswara and Dyaning Pangestika, Jakarta – The government is set to recruit international influencers to attract foreign tourists to Indonesia in the hopes of reinvigorating the tourism industry, which has been deflated by the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

Robin Perry – We were 45 metres up, precariously perched on a platform in the rainforest canopy, looking north towards West Papua as the early morning mist cleared to reveal the shimmering coastline.

Jakarta – State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Erick Thohir said the government was happy for private firms to work with state-owned companies in tapping the country's growing economic potential.

He warned, however, that the private companies should have good intentions in such partnerships rather than become a "thorn in the flesh" of state-owned companies.

Arya Dipa, Bandung – The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) seized a huge haul of carisoprodol (Soma), known locally as "PCC", during a raid on four houses running an illicit drug manufacturing operation at a housing complex in Arcamanik district of Bandung, West Java.

Dyaning Pangestika, Jakarta – Thousands of Jakarta residents are seeking refuge following widespread following, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has said.

As of Wednesday, the BNPB's command center recorded 19,901 displaced residents throughout 214 subdistricts in Greater Jakarta, with East Jakarta as the most affected area.

Nelson de la Cruz, Dili – The Prime Minister of East Timor says he is prepared to stay in office until a solution can be found "to guarantee government activities in our country".

Nick Miller – "When you start singing those songs, the whole memory comes back to us," says former East Timor freedom fighter Domingos Gabriel.

The 63-year-old is better known by his nom de guerre "Berliku", given to him decades ago by then-future president Xanana Gusmao.

Through a translator, Berliku explains.